Chat show queen Oprah Winfrey, tennis champion Serena Williams, actor George Clooney and his barrister wife Amal were among the guests gathered at the royal wedding to watch Prince Harry marry Meghan Markle.
They were joining the Queen and more than 30 members of the royal family, gathered to witness the ceremony, alongside the bride and groom’s trusted inner circle of friends.
Williams, who was joined by her husband Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, is a close friend of Meghan.
Winfrey reportedly welcomed Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland to her Florida home a few weeks ago, and the bride is said to be friends with Amal Clooney.
Diana’s former flatmate Carolyn Bartholomew, who was a school friend of the princess and shared a London flat with shy Lady Diana Spencer before she wed the Prince of Wales, was also there, as was Julia Samuel, one of Diana’s best friends and now godmother to Prince George.
She was on the left hand side of the chapel, rather than on the right where the royals were placed.
The friends have been supporting Meghan in the difficult days ahead of the wedding after her father Thomas Markle pulled out of attending.
Ms Litt, whose two daughters are bridemaids, was seated next to Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland.
Misha Nonoo, the fashion designer credited with introducing Harry to his future wife, also had a VIP seat in the venue as did Meghan’s best male friend Markus Anderson who is director of members club Soho House where the couple’s blind date took place in the summer of 2016.
Harry’s childhood friend Thomas van Straubenzee and family were in the Quire, along with Emilie van Cutsem, the widow of Charles’s close friend Hugh van Cutsem.
Guests seated in the Nave included David and Victoria Beckham, actor Idris Elba and singer James Blunt, Harry’s ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy, the Duchess of Cambridge’s family the Middletons, including her sister Pippa and former rugby star Jonny Wilkinson.
